Journal-box.



A. CHRISTIANSON.

JOURNAL BOX.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. Io, I9II.

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i I I I i I I I I I I CQJZWM TMLP M IMMEMTWO 30 by the lid is very often imperfect. This ANDREW CHRISTIANSON, OF BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA.

' JOURNAL-Box.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 27, l119015.

Application tiled February 10, 1911. Serial No. 607,861.

To all l11i/10m. it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW CHRISTIAN- sox, a resident of Butler, in the county of Butler and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in J ournal-Boxes; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention relates to journal boxes such as those ordinarily used in railroad or street railway cars to transmit the load of the car body and truck to the axle and to cover the journal portion of the same and carry the oil and waste used therewith.

Its object is to provide an improved cover or lid for the opening, in a journal box of the Master Car Builders or any other desired type of body, which will completely exclude the entrance of dust or grit to the journal portion of the axle, and which 1s simple, economical and durable in construction.

The journal box lids heretofore employed commercially are usually hinged to a pair of lugs projecting from the top ofthe box and are of rigid structure throughout, being held in closed position by a spring bearing on a lug above the opening. As the open- .ings are not always even or plane in contour, and are subject to rust and wear, the closure results in the entrance of dust, dirt, brine from refrigerator cars and other injurious matter, and the consequent excessive wear of the axle journal portion as well as the journal bearing and wedge or other like parts usually employed to carry the load uponthe axle.

For the purpose of preventing these conditions, my invention contemplates, generally stated, a journal box having an opening, a cover member hinged to the box body, and a lid proper pivotally carried by said member and arranged to be forced intoJ mating contact with the box wall around said opening when in closed position. In the preferred construction a cover member is hinged to the ordinary binge lugs of a box of standard type, and is provided with a spring bearing on the bearing lug of like standard form. The spring is preferably carried within the cover member and bears on both the bearing lug and the lid pivotally carried by the cover member.

|Ihe pivotal connection of my invention comprises a socket forming preferably part of the lid proper and a pin preferably of bulg1ng or ellipsoidal form arranged on the c over member and within the socket of the 11d, the joint being thus pivoted in all di mensions, the lid eing preferably held in place when set up by the same spring that forces 1t into fitting contact with the opening. Thus the joint, on account of the shape of pin employed, is not only a hinged, but also a universal or ball and socket joint, so that the contact of the lid with the box marginmg .the opening at all points is insured.

Iy invention also contemplates certain other improvements and features of construction as hereinafter to be specifically described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings Figure 1 is a fragmentary longitudinal vertical sec* tion of a journal box illustrating my invention. Fig. 2 is a front view partly broken off of the same. Fig. 3 is a detail vertical section of the hinged cover member and Fig. 4 is a like plan view of the same. Fig. 5 is a sectional view similar to Fig. l illustrating a modification.

The journal box diagrammatically illustrated is intended to represent any desired form of box, having preferably the general characteristics of the M. C. B. type and being necessarily provided with 'a wedge and journal bearing of that type or any other desired form arranged beneath the box top 2 bearing on the journal portion of the axle, none of said last mentioned necessary parts being illustrated as they form no part of my invention. The box 1 illustrated, has the hinge lugs 3 of usual form and a bearing lug 4 between them and arranged near the front of the box top 2 adjacent to the box opening 5, being constructed preferably with the sloping, nearly horizontal top face 4, and front shoulder 4". The box opening 5 is illustrated in the usual way as on a slant from the vertical and arranged in the curved wall 6 of the journal-box.

The cover member 7 of my invention is provided with the straps or sleeves 8 through which the hinge pintle or pin 9 extends to pivot the cover 7 within the eyes l0 of the hinge lugs 3. The cover member 7 is of hooded or hollow form as illustrated and has preferably a narrow lower portion 7.

At the extremity of the lower tapering portion 7', I provide the pin l1 of bulging or ellipsoidal shape. I also preferably provide above the lower portion 7 the spring seat or pocket 12 to receive the semi-elliptical spring 13 Which is embodied preferably in the form of a leaf spring, that illustrated having three leaves.

The lid proper 15 is provided centrally with the outwardly extending hooked portion 16 forming a socket 17 to receive the pin 11, and formin therewith a universal joint. I also prefera )ly employ the lug 1S arranged beneath the hooked portion 16 of the lid 15. v

The spring 13 bears near its upper end on the bearing lug 4, centrally in its curved portion 12 on the cover member 7 Within the pocket 12, and in its lower portion upon the lug 18 of the lid proper 15. The said spring therefore acts not only to force the pivotally mounted lid 15 against the edge Wall about the opening 5, but also to hold the pivot 11 within its socket 17. On account of the curved contour of the said pivot 11, the lid 15 is pressed in all dimensions against the edge wall 5', the sealing of the opening being preferably further insured by the packingring 2O of hair felt or like material carried Within the annular packing Seat 21 of the lid 15.

I also preferably provide," as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, the cover flange 23 embracing the edge wall 5 in order to further protect the closure of the opening. This flange however is not essential, and in Fig. 5 I have illustrated a modification in which the lid proper 25 is not provided with such a flange, the other parts, however, in Fig. 5 being similar to those in Figs. 1 and 2 and designated by like reference numerals. While I regard the provision of a packing ring of the abovey` specified character as novel in journal boxes, it does not constitute an essential feature of my invention, and can be dispensed with if desired.

The improved cover of my invention can be applied to journal boxes already in use' lo take the place of the ordinary lid. The cover member and the pivotecLlid proper are also readily detachable from each other, being held together merely by the spring 13 when applied to the box body. On account of the shape of the bearing lug 4,'and the construction of the parts of my invention, the spring acts to hold the lid in sealing contact when in closed position l detachable, if one is broken or impaired by wear or accident, it can be replaced without the necessity and expense of installing a completely new cover.

W hat I claim is:

1. A journal box comprising a box body having an opening, and provided with a' cover member hinged to the box body, and having a pivot pin, a lid provided with a hooked member beneath which said pin engages, and a spring having one end bearing on said box body, its intermediate portion bearing on said cover member, and its opposite end bearing on the lid beneath said hooked member to maintain said pivot pin within said hooked member, and force said lid into mating fit at all points with said box body around said openlng.

2. A journal box comprising a box body having an opening and a bearlng lug adjacent thereto, a cover member hinged to said bearing lug, a lid having a pivot connection with said cover member, and a spring bearing at a point intermediate its ends on said cover member, and having one end bearing on said bearing lug, and having its opposite end bearing on said lid beneath the pivotal connection thereof with said cover member.

3. A 'journal box comprising a box body having an opening, a cover member of hollow form hinged adjacent thereto, said box body having a bearing lug arranged above said opening, said cover member having a centrally arranged spring pocket and having a pivot pin below the same, a lid having a hooked portion Within which said pivot pin engages, and a spring bearing upon said bearing lug and upon the under side of said cover member, and upon said lid at a point beneath the pivotal point thereof with said cover member.

In testimony whereof, I the said ANDREW CHRISTIANSON have hereunto set my hand.

ANDREW CHRISTIANSON.

Witnesses:

GARNET R. SPEER, ROBERT C. TOTTEN. 

